Intertwined
by broken trusts
Summary: When Aang, Katara and Sokka stop for supplies, the forest is eerily familiar. What'll happen when they find themselves attacked? And how does Zuko play into this? ZK
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar. If I did, Zuko and Katara would've gotten together already.

**A/N:** Hey everybody! Sorry in advance for any spelling/grammar mistakes. Longer note at the bottom. Enjoy!

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

_Glinting golden eyes warm breath so welcome on icy cool skin whispers in total darkness glimpses of painful screaming red marring pale oh so pale flesh ebony locks swaying fight steam no use caught trapped panic filling fire closer struggling no use closer closer too close burning burning burning flesh pain searing blinding pain. Screams._

Katara shot up, mouth frozen in a silent scream. Heart racing, she slowly brought her hand up to her face. Another scream threatened to escape her lips as her fingers brushed against what felt like a scar surrounding her eye. Before she even realized what she was doing, she had bent enough water from her waterskin to see her reflection. Katara sighed with relief as she saw that there was no change to her face. How many times had she had this same dream, more like a nightmare, since they had left Bato?

Adrenaline still speeding, she absent-mindedly ran her fingers across her mother's necklace. A small smile fell onto her lips as she remembered that she had just gotten it back, thanks to Aang. One thing bothered her, though. As Aang had replayed how he had gotten it, he had mentioned that it was hanging from Zuko's wrist. When she heard that, a weird feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, but was disregarded as concern that he could have easily destroyed it while fire-bending.

Coming out of her reverie, she finally took the time to check if she had woken anyone else, _though it's not likely._ The first one she saw was Sokka, curled up in his sleeping, slightly rocking back and forth. Her smile grew wider as she heard him mumbling in his sleep, something about food. _Same old Sokka._ On the ground next to him lay the boomerang their father had given him and his knife, both unsheathed and ready for anything. This sight brought bittersweet feelings to Katara. On the one hand, it meant that, for all his doubts, Sokka still respected his sister enough to follow her advice about having some form of protection for them. On the other, it was proof to how dangerous it was for them to stop for the night.

Still smiling, Katara turned to check on how Aang was. That smile was soon replaced by a look of panic as she saw only a bunch of scattered leaves where her friend had fallen asleep. His bed. Without him in it. As she scrambled to get out of her own sleeping bag, one thought ran through her mind. _This is all my fault. I should have fought against landing more. Now Aang's who-knows-where and it's all because of me. _Deciding to check on Appa before waking her brother, she felt relief once again seep into her limbs. Lying on Appa's tail was a peacefully sleeping Aang. _Good thing I didn't wake Sokka first. He would've had my head if I had, _she thought with a slight smirk. In her frenzy she missed a big problem with her theory: neither she nor Sokka could sleep through what was sure to be a loud fight, much like what went on at the abbey.

Finally satisfied that everything was fine, Katara sat back in her sleeping bag, facing their small fire. As she stared into the flickering flames, she tried to remember exactly what happened during her dreams (or nightmares) that could unnerve her to the point of waking in a cold sweat, screaming. But each time she thought she had something, it eluded her once again. As she was thinking this, the back of her neck started prickling, almost as if she were being watched. Brushing it off as a harmless animal, most likely Momo, her thoughts remained on the dream until sleep slowly overcame her.

If Katara had double-checked, she would have known that Momo was curled up on Appa's head, twitching in deep sleep. If she had turned around, she would have seen the moonlight glitter on a pair of cold, calculating eyes, filled with malice, watching for the perfect moment to attack.

* * *

_So this is your girlfriend? No wonder she left, she's too pretty for you._

Prince Zuko couldn't seem to get the (_worthless_) bounty hunter's words out of his head as he trained by himself. After 'the incident' (as he had taken to calling it in his mind), improving his bending skills had become a slight obsession, like capturing the Avatar, much to his uncle's displeasure.

"Prince Zuko, how many times must I tell you that true power does not come from the muscle, but from the breath?" Iroh sighed. His nephew needed something to distract him before he lost all reason. "I believe that is enough for the day. Perhaps you would like to join me for a soothing cup of ginseng tea?"

"Uncle," Zuko growled, "I don't have time for another one of your many tea breaks. If I want to capture the Avatar, I'll need as much training as I can get. Did you not see how skilled he has become? I won't stop until I have him!"

"Another reason for your girlfriend to have left," Jun muttered as she came onto the deck, but still loud enough for both Zuko and Iroh to hear. "Congrats."

"How many times do I have to tell you, she never was my girlfriend!" Zuko shouted at the same time as Iroh chuckled, "Excellent point!"

After hearing this, Zuko spun on his heel and shot a glare at his uncle that clearly said 'you aren't helping!' Like it had any affect. Iroh was possibly the only person that could patronize and tease the irritable prince without worrying about facing his wrath. Not that the crew had ever done anything to test this theory. At first it had been more out of fear than anything else, but after that storm, when Iroh had told them the truth about his nephew, that fear had changed into genuine respect.

"What are you still doing here?" Zuko turned onto Jun. He wanted her off his ship. It was bad enough that she had been useless in catching the Avatar, but it had been her stupid monster that managed to give the stupid Avatar a stupid headstart on his stupid flying bison. (**A/N:** Isn't he articulate? XD)

_It wasn't really her fault. The waterbender was the one that dropped the perfume on it, blinding it, _a traitorous voice brought up.

If there was one thing Zuko hated more than his uncle's frequent 'tea breaks' (not counting Zhao, of course), it was his conscience. If it weren't for that little voice, he wouldn't have spoken out in his father's war chamber. Without any warning, he was back in the Agni Kai arena, kneeling in front of his father, begging for mercy.

Zuko shook his head slightly to clear his mind once again. Bringing his attention back to Jun, he was startled to see his uncle walking through the market with her, seemingly buying anything she liked or asked for. Some smoke started to come from his clenched fists as his anger flared. Before he realized what was happening, he was stalking through the crowds, thankful that the people parted before him fearfully.

"Uncle, what do you think you're doing?" Zuko asked through gritted teeth. Today was just not his day.

"Why, Prince Zuko, I was just offering our lovely guest here," Jun made a slight face at his choice of words, "whatever caught her eye." Either Iroh didn't notice or was ignoring his nephew's obvious anger. Most likely the latter.

"And _why, _exactly, would you be doing that?"

Surprisingly, it was Jun that answered, "Because, if it hadn't been for your little girlfriend and that Avatar, I would still have my Shirshu and be in business."

"That is why you were paid the agreed amount of gold, even though it was _your _beast that caused us to lose him in the first place," Zuko snapped, then, almost as an afterthought, added, "And she's not my girlfriend."

Just as Iroh was about to try to defend her, thus prolonging the conversation, she decided that this was the perfect opportunity to make her disappearance.

"Well then. Considering I have everything I need with me, and that my welcome seems over, I'll be going. Maybe we'll meet again soon, my banished prince, you too, uncle lazy." At the look on Zuko's face, she sneered, adding, "Good luck with your girlfriend."

As she turned away, the look on Zuko's face was absolutely priceless. He just stood in shock at the gall of her as her chuckling form seemingly disappeared into the crowd. Iroh just stood with a ridiculously heartbroken expression plastered to his face.

"She didn't take any of her gifts," Iroh sadly mumbled to himself. However, it still wasn't quiet enough to escape the notice of his nephew.

"Uncle, exactly how much did you spend on her?" He was almost afraid to know. Almost.

As soon as Iroh replied, a booming 'What!' could be heard throughout the marketplace and beyond, startling some birds out of nearby trees. Unfortunately for Zuko, it also discouraged Aang and the others from stopping there for supplies.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you liked it. This is my first fanfic, so sorry if it wasn't the greatest. I won't become one of those author's that threatens to not update if people don't review (I don't always leave reviews either), but if you can,please review! Till next time! 


	2. The Plans

**Disclaimer: **I own...a notebook...a bathing suit...a pair of combat boots...no Avatar. _sniff _I don't own Avatar.

* * *

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 2: The Plans**

"K-katara! A-are you a-almost done with m-my shirt yet?" Aang shook from the cold again. After his 'one-sided' fight with 'Admiral' Zhao, his shirt had suffered a lot of burns, so he gave it to Katara for mending. What he hadn't counted on was that, with the Fire Nation following their every move, most of their time was spent among the clouds.

"Just a minute, Aang. I'm almost done…"

"Yeah, Aang. Haven't you learned not to bother girls while they're doing their- OW! What was that for!"

"Haven't _you _learned to not say stuff like that, especially since _I'm_ the one that fixes all our clothes and does the cooking? Hmm?"

Aang just watched as his friends fought, holding back the laughter that was threatening to come out. That is, until he once again shivered, reminding him of what started this whole argument.

"Um, Katara? Not to rush you or anything, but could I _please _get my shirt back? It's _really _cold," he managed to get out through his chattering teeth.

"Oh, sorry Aang! Here it is." Katara handed the shirt back, looking apologetic, much to Sokka's surprise. "I couldn't get all the black out without more water, so I'll need it again after we stop."

"I don't get you, Katara. Only yesterday Mr. Excitable here burned both your hands, and the only reason you can still do anything is because you're lucky enough to have this freaky healing power! And now you're acting as if that never happened and apologizing for making him sit in the cold for a few minutes. While _you _fix _his _shirt. Well, you may be that forgiving, Katara, but I'm not gonna be so trusting the next time he tries firebending." Sokka was breathing heavily as he finished his rant, ignoring his companions for the time being.

"Don't worry, Sokka. I'm not going to try anymore firebending, at least not soon. Jeong Jeong was right. I don't have enough discipline," Aang whispered with his head down. Only then did Sokka notice how upset Aang truly looked. Katara just sat there, glaring daggers at her brother for causing such a change in the young monk's attitude.

They sat in an uneasy silence, each thinking about something different. All they knew was that, after what had happened, the last thing they needed was to bring it up in the way that Sokka had. Even he regretted what he did. After more than a few minutes passed I this fashion, Katara finally came up with a way to break the quiet.

"Don't listen to him. He's probably only saying it because his 'instincts' told him to," she joked, hoping the solemn mood. She knew it was successful when a low chuckle came from Aang. Even Sokka cracked a grin, when he would normally be yelling over how 'mature' they were being, happy to have Aang back to normal. She gave them a weak smile, not really wanting to be the gloomy one.

"So… when can we stop for more food? Don't look at me like that! We _are _out of supplies, aren't we?"

"Only because you ate it all!" Katara teased, silently thankful for her brother's obsession with food. "Still, I guess it would be okay, since we know that was Zuko at the last port."

Both Aang and Sokka had agreed that Katara had the best judgment out of the trio, _most _of the time (no one forgot about the waterbending scroll and Jet), and with her approval they stopped in a small clearing near the next town. As they stumbled out of Appa's saddle, no one noticed the shadow that darted out from under Appa into the trees.

As they walked back to the town, everything seemed oddly familiar. As the truth dawned on them, their footsteps started to drag as wary glances were thrown at every shadow and soon every unfamiliar sound became a possible threat. Sokka had his knife out and at the ready and Katara had moved closer to the two boys. Aang finally broke the second uneasy silence that day by voicing their suspicion.

"Um, guys? Isn't this…" his voice failed. He knew that by saying it out loud would only make the situation all the more real.

"Yeah, it's _his _forest," Sokka finished, now fingering the handle of his boomerang. "We better be careful."

"You think he's still here?" Katara asked nervously, opening her waterskin. "Do you think he'd do something to us?"

No one missed her unsaid fear. None of them were safe, that much was obvious, but she would be the focus of any attack. After all, it had been Katara that kept _him _from following them, or taking revenge on her brother for destroying his plan.

"I'm not sure, but we shouldn't take any chances. Let's try to get out of here as soon as possible. This place still gives me the creeps."

"Great idea, Aang. But once we're in the market, it should be safe enough with all those people there to split up, if only to get out of here faster. Since Katara's the responsible one," here she tried to hit him with a water ball, "-don't do that!-she can take the majority of the money and buy our supplies. Aang, you can do whatever you want. And _I'll _go have some dinner at an inn-OW! I told you NOT to hit me!" Now Katara _did_ manage to hit him.

"That has to be the stupidest, most idiotic-UGH! What happened to 'not taking any chances'? Huh? Just because you think with your stomach doesn't mean that Aang and I will agree to it, right Aang?"

"Actually, Katara, I think it'd be okay to do that. I have always wanted to try to ride a Hog Monkey. We'll just meet here later."

'Here' was where the solitary forest path went within the city walls. During their conversation, the two teens had pulled up their hoods, while Aang put on his Chinaman Hat, effectively covering his telltale Airbender tattoos. (**A/N:** Why didn't he use it during the fire festival?)

"Alright, but if anything happens, I blame you two," Katara huffed before walking off to get supplies.

Sokka just stared after his sister, shaking his head. As he turned to search for an inn, Aang could've sworn he heard him mutter 'Girls,' under his breath.

* * *

Zuko was sparring on deck with Lieutenant Jee as his ship slowly maneuvered through the harbor. They were once again forced to stop due to Iroh's insistence that he was dangerously low on tea. This ticked Zuko off immensely because he knew for a fact that his uncle still had at least two crates of the stuff hidden away. 

"Very good, Prince Zuko. You seem to be finally mastering using the breath," Iroh commented as he walked on deck. Of course, as soon as the words were out of his mouth, any progress Zuko had made disappeared.

"Uncle, must we really stop when both of us know you have an extra supply of tea below deck?" Zuko asked as he allowed Jee to return to his duties.

"Oh, so you know about that," his face looked troubled, then brightened almost immediately. "Well, to tell you the truth, rumor has it that this port has the best trading in the Earth Kingdom," he answered, leaning over conspiratorially (**A/N: **He's doing that weird hand gesture during all of this). He then plowed on, once again ignoring his nephew's patience, or lack thereof. "It seems that all nations are welcome as well. Lucky, huh? So what do you think, eh, Prince Zuko?"

Just as Zuko was about to tell (by shouting) his uncle exactly what he thought of this idiotic waste of time, an arrow whistled past his head, stopping when it hit the door that led below, and falling to the floor with a dull thunk. Completely ignoring his uncle, Zuko's eyes scanned the trees that lined the shore closest to them.

"Prince Zuko! This is most interesting. A message was attached to the arrow and it is addressed to you!"

As soon as he heard that, Zuko strode over and snatched the paper out of Iroh's hands. Seeing that his name really was written on it, he ripped it open, and was surprised at the information it held:

**Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation,**

**It is widely known that you are hunting for the Avatar. Well, you happen to be in luck. At this very moment, the monk and his friends are wandering the market in this very port and have set up camp in the forest. I believe it's in your best interest to look into the matter**

**-A friend**

"Uncle, have the men ready to disembark the moment we dock," and with no further explanation, left his uncle to puzzle over his change in attitude.

* * *

He stood watching the ships go in and out of the harbor his upper body hidden in shadows. If only everything had gone this smoothly the first time around, then he needn't have gone to all this trouble now. Oh, well. 

_All the more fun._

"I'm guessing he's gotten the message?" He turned as he felt the presence of the boy standing in the doorway, taking care to never leave the darkness of the shadows.

The young archer gulped and nodded, observing the way his leader's eyes glinted with some new, unknown emotion. His own eyes darted around nervously, anxious to get out of the room. His leader's new, slightly obsessive nature was concerning, to say the least, but everyone knew better than to say anything.

"After he finished reading it, the ship started to move faster. Also, his men were seen being assembled on deck, most likely to search the area."

"Excellent. Make sure to pay the girl what she wants." Even through the shadows, no one could miss the cocky smirk that twisted his features. "You can go now."

With one last nod, the boy exited, relieved to be back in the trees. Of course, this went unnoticed since he brought his attention back to the view out his window, making everything was in place for the show.

_You'll finally pay for what you've done. This time, there won't be any rescue or escape. There will be two less obstacles in my way. Nothing can go wrong tonight._

At least, that's what he thought.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I only really liked that last part. My first cliffie! I'm not really used to making them, so I'm happy with it. Thanks to **Lady Amaya, Katara 15, and Dracori** for reviewing! Also, I'll only be able to update once a week, maybe more if I'm lucky. Please review! 


	3. Crossing Paths

**Disclaimer: **Why must I go through this torture? _glances at group of lawyers _Oh, yeah. Well, I don't own Avatar.

* * *

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 3: Crossing Paths**

Katara sighed again, fixing her grip on the basket filled with supplies. She loved her brother, she really did, but sometimes he came up with such crazy ideas that it just made her want to hit him over the head until he finally got some sense. Since getting everything needed, with enough money left for the next town they stopped in, she had been wandering around aimlessly, not wishing to be a sitting duck at the rendezvous point. All she really wanted was to leave and not come back again.

_Don't be silly. There's nothing here to afraid of, only bad memories, and those can't hurt you. Besides, do you really want to let Sokka know how much this place affects you? _Katara sighed. She really had to get a grip before she saw him again, or he'd never let it go.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she wasn't paying any attention to where she was walking, and thus didn't see the boy in front of her until she walked right into a strong arm.

"Sorry," Katara mumbled distractedly, not bothering to look up into his face. It wasn't until she had walked a ways ahead that she realized exactly whose arm that could have been. Spinning around, she was relieved to see that there was no one recognizable behind her, Fire Nation or other.

_Now, back to trying to think of why I'm so bothered by being here again._

_**Other than the obvious?**_

_Of course… Wait a minute, am I talking to myself!_

_**Yup.**_

_Oh gods, I'm going crazy…_

_**Yes, now go back to pondering the mystery of this place.**_

_La la la, I'm just going to pretend that I am NOT being told what to do by a voice inside my head… I really AM going crazy._

Being too occupied with the fact that she was possibly losing her mind, Katara's feet had led her to the opening into the forest. Figuring that Sokka and Aang would be coming back soon enough, she allowed herself to sit on the ground, leaning against the front of an unoccupied bench, so she'd be harder to spot to anyone just scanning the crowd. Better to be safe than sorry. She kept her eyes on the ground.

_Well, what's so bad about this? There doesn't seem to be any sign of him. Besides, what's the possibility that he'd remember us?_

She let out another sigh. She'd been doing that a lot today. No matter how much she reassured herself, there was a nagging at the back of her mind that the three shouldn't have even been there again. Katara's head snapped up, eyes wide with realization.

_That's it! We stopped here before, to the North Pole, just like now. If we're back, that means…we got turned around! But how? Not good…_

Katara was so absorbed in her thoughts (once again) that she didn't notice what was happening behind her until she felt the dead weight fall on her.

* * *

_Stupid peasant. Doesn't even recognize royalty when she walks into them._

Zuko was in a really bad mood (**A/N: **When isn't he?). He had been walking around the market, looking for the stupid Avatar, for well over two hours, with absolutely no luck. His men, who had been trudging after him, had been dismissed just a few moments ago, allowing them to do spend the rest of the time in port as they wished.

And now some peasant girl had had the gall to walk into him, a _prince_, mumble an apology, and walk off, all without once looking at him. He was about to send a fireball her way, to scare her, when he took in her clothes. Water Tribe.

_And exactly how many Water Tribe members do you know that would be in an Earth Kingdom port? Two. The Avatar's companions._

Since this obviously wasn't that buffoon of a warrior (Zuko gave an un-princely snort), it had to be the Waterbender. If it had been the boy, it would have been too easy to just walk up and grab him, but her skills with water had improved, so he would have to look for an opening.

_I just had to dismiss my men. Great, _Zuko thought sarcastically as he started to follow the girl. _I don't even have Uncle to help._

Zuko kept close to the girl, but not so close that she would notice him. Not, it seemed, that he should have bothered. She seemed to be off in her own little world. This would be too easy. She would lead him right to her precious Avatar.

_Stupid girl._

Just as he thought that, she turned suddenly, eyes wary. Zuko had just enough time to duck behind a stand, successfully hiding himself.

_Okay, maybe not so stupid._

When he risked a peek, he saw that she had started walking again. Seeing that it was safe to come out, and knowing to be more cautious, he brought the distance between them back to what it originally was.

_Why is she just wandering? Come on, go to the Avatar. Go to the Avatar._

Zuko repeated this mantra in his head, hoping that she would somehow get the message and obey. But, with the luck he'd been having that day, she just stopped and sat in the dirt like the peasant he was, leaning back, head down.

_YES! Something finally goes right! _He did a little happy dance, in his head, of course. An emotionally detached (except for anger) prince would never _really_ do a happy dance in public.

This was his chance. The girl had her guard down, which gave him the chance to creep closer. When he was barely two feet from her, though, her head snapped up. Zuko froze, unsure of what to do. When moments passed and she continued to stare ahead in a daze, he realized that he hadn't been noticed in the least.

Finally closing the space between them, he didn't notice the boy walking up behind him, knife raised, ready to strike. As Zuko reached out to grab the girl, he found that he couldn't control his movement.

That was when he felt the explosion of pain at the back of his head.

And then he knew nothing more.

* * *

As Sokka lazily picked at his teeth, he started walking to the trio's meeting point. As much as he hated to admit it, his sister's words had been worrying him. He knew it was stupid to let something like that distract him through an entire meal, but that was exactly what it had done. 

_Look what Katara did now. You ruined a perfectly good, delicious, warm-back on topic now-meal focusing on whether you were going to get knocked out before the next bite! Just relax. Everything's fine._

Still, he found himself hoping that Katara was waiting so he could protect himself. Better yet, he wanted her _and_ Aang there so they could leave right away.

As he came into view of the opening in the wall, his blood froze. Katara was there, all right, but so was Prince Scarface. Unable to move, he watched as the git crept closer to his baby sister.

_Come on, Katara. Look behind you, stand up. Do SOMETHING, anything!_

He knew that shouting, or doing anything to warn her would be dangerous. So when her head snapped up, effectively stopping the prince, Sokka did a silent cheer, thinking that she had finally heard the creep. That was cut short when he saw that Katara seemed to be only thinking, or concentrating on something.

Realizing that it was up to him to protect her, he pulled his knife from its pouch and walked over to Zuko, who was, luckily, still frozen in shock, or fear of being discovered.

_At least he's too focused on Katara to notice anything, or anyone, else. Ugh. _Sokka made a face at that thought.

Just as Zuko was about to wrap his filthy arms around her, Sokka used the knife's handle to knock him out.

What he hadn't thought of was that, since the firebender had been leaning forward, the force of the blow sent him over the bench. Sokka winced as Zuko fell onto his sister, causing her to squeak with fright.

"Don't worry," Sokka reassured as he came into Katara's view. "I knocked him out."

"No, really? I hadn't noticed!" Katara snapped sarcastically, mad that she had been caught off guard like that, and in front of Sokka at that. "So why, exactly, is he laying on me?"

"Oh, uh, that. Let's get him off you."

Katara sighed with relief at having him off of her. He was _really _heavy.

_Must be all that armor._

So they wouldn't attract any suspicion, it was decided that they would put the unconscious Zuko in the forest, and come back into the city to wait for Aang. As they sat on the bench, Sokka realized that he should be yelling at her for being so irresponsible.

"Katara, how could you let him get so close to you? Why didn't you see, or hear him? What if I wasn't there to stop him? You'd probably be halfway to his ship by now! For being so worried, you definitely aren't alert enough!"

"Sokka, it's okay! Calm down, alright?" Katara figured she would wait until they were back on Appa to tell him and Aang about her idea. Then they would be safe.

"How can I calm down when my baby sister was almost kidnapped!"

"What almost happened?" Both teens jumped as Aang joined them. Neither had heard him come.

As Sokka explained what had happened, Katara found herself scanning the crowd, looking for other Fire Nation men. When she heard that her brother was finished with his (exaggerated) recap, she turned to see that the monk's eyes were wide with surprise, and slight confusion.

"Why did you take him into the forest? What are we going to do with him?"

"Well, we can't let him wake, find his men, and come looking in the forest for you," Katara reasoned. Then she got an idea. "Maybe we should keep him with us, until we leave. It'd be a lot safer."

"Yeah, that'll really work. What would we use to make sure that he doesn't attack us if he wakes up too early? In case you've forgotten, he's a FIREBENDER!" Sokka couldn't believe his sister's ideas sometimes,

"Well, we could use metal chains," Katara suggested. "If he tried to melt those, he would just hurt himself."

When Sokka didn't say anything, instead choosing to fold his arms over his chest and mumble something incoherent, Katara smirked slightly, knowing that she had once again out-smarted her brother. Aang sat silently through all this, looking troubled. Katara was the first to notice.

"Aang? Are you okay? You're awfully quiet."

"Um, it's nothing. Well, doesn't this seem kind of cruel?"

"Not really. Listen, all we're going to do is keep him restrained until we leave, so he doesn't try to hurt you. He'll probably be out cold the whole time anyways. Don't worry," Sokka tried to reassure the boy, but instead made the whole thing sound much worse.

"What Sokka is _trying _to say is that we have no choice, Aang."

"Okay. But where are we going to find metal chains?"

"Leave that, to me."

And with that, Katara led the two boys to a blacksmith (**A/N:** or whoever would make metal chains, I'm not really sure), where, with some of the money left over from buying the supplies, they bought enough to keep Zuko harmless (they used Sokka to check, earning them weird looks from people).

* * *

Once they got to their campsite (with much grunting and, gasp, actual work from Sokka, who was the one to carry Zuko), the most important thing for them was to secure the firebender in case he came to earlier than expected. After unceremoniously dumping the heavy teen on the ground, Sokka proceeded to take his armor off. This Katara had no problem with. It was only when she saw that Sokka had started taking Zuko's shirt off that she stopped him. 

"What are you doing? Isn't it enough to take the armor off?"

Sokka gave her a weird look. "If he doesn't have his shirt, it'll hurt a lot more if he does try to melt the chains off. Don't worry; we'll be gone soon enough."

With the firebender's shirt off, he wrapped the chains around his legs so that if he tried to send fire from his feet, he would just burn his own feet. Sokka maneuvered his arms so they were behind his back, palms facing each other. Satisfied with his work, Sokka sat back on his heels with a smug smile. Katara had already busied herself with packing their new supplies onto Appa.

"Slight problem, guys. I think that, while we were gone, someone might've done something to Appa's tail," Aang said, worriedly looking over the fluffy monster's tail. "It could take a couple of days to heal."

"Well, what's his tail needed for, exactly?" Katara asked, rubbing Appa's side.

"Um, actually, it, uh, is what allows bison to fly," Aang answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Hearing this, both Katara and Sokka in what they were doing. As they stared at Aang, his words finally sunk in. _'Someone might've done something to Appa's tail.'_ Katara's eyes widened in shock as she figured out who that someone was.

_This is exactly what I was worried about._

"Guys, do you think it was-" She never got to finish her guess, though, because, at that moment, a familiar voice spoke out.

"And I am lying on the ground, why?"

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone! I have one thing to say. WOW! I really didn't think I'd get so many reviews for only two chapters. I feel so loved. Sorry for taking longer with the update than for the first chapters, but school is most important for me right now. I'll update at least once a week, and that's all I can promise. Anywayz,I think this is the longest...anything I've written in one sitting. I guess you could say I felt guilty. ; ) This isn't really a cliffie because you know who was talking. Please review!

**Disclaimer:** The part about the metal chains is not my idea. It belongs to Suave Boogie.


	4. Worries

**Dislaimer: **I don't own Avatar. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this online.

* * *

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 4: Worries**

As Zuko slowly came into consciousness, his first thought was that he was still sleeping. There was no way he could possibly be waking up in a forest. It was so peaceful that he just had to be dreaming.

Then he felt the hard chains wrapped his torso and legs.

Okay, so it's not a dream. A nightmare, maybe?

Suddenly there was a mind-numbing throb at the back of his head. That ruled out any form of sleeping, because pain shouldn't be felt in dreams _or _nightmares. Zuko knew that better than anyone.

_Where am I? _

"…someone might've done something to Appa's tail. It could take a couple of days to heal."

Zuko's eyes widened. He knew that voice. Slightly shifting himself to get a better look at the source of the sound, he silently thanked Agni that no one was watching him. That much was obvious from the lack of attention when his eyes had first opened. Finally settled, he knew his initial guess was correct.

The Avatar and his companions. With their only mode of transportation injured.

The Avatar himself was looking at the bison's tail with a frown on his face. The girl he had tried to capture before was packing supplies onto the bison's saddle, occasionally stopping to affectionately rub the beast's side. The boy was sitting against a tree, sharpening his knife while his eyes would dart into the trees.

_How paranoid. Like Fire Nation troops are really going to come falling out of the trees._

"Well, what's his tail needed for, exactly?"

_Yes, and will it give me any advantage over you?_

Rubbing the back of his head, the monk answered the girl's question with slight hesitation. "Um, actually, it, uh, is what allows bison to fly."

As the words sunk in, the two teens froze in shock. Zuko, however, was so overjoyed that he almost let out a whoop of triumph.

_Perfect. With them unable to leave, I'll finally have the Avatar, and my honor._

Zuko assumed the silence that enveloped the camp was because they were all thinking along the same lines as him, but as he took in their appearances more closely, he just knew it couldn't be that. Hard as he tried, his men had never put the trio in this state. In this much fear… and anger.

The 'warrior's' hand had gripped the knife, while the other took out the boomerang. Both hands were shaking slightly, knuckles white. The Airbender had put his staff in easier reach. Even the girl seemed to move closer to the two boys, most likely for greater protection.

As the girl started to break the silence after a few moments, Zuko decided that that was the perfect opportunity to make his presence known.

"And I am lying on the ground, why?"

* * *

Aang was the first to react to Zuko's interruption by jumping onto one of the lower branches, out of the prince's reach. He didn't exactly trust the chains that bound him to do their job. 

_At least I have one of them wary, _Zuko thought with a small smirk. Being Ozai's son meant that he liked feeling in control.

"Why should we answer you?" Sokka, being a teenaged boy in general, was also fond of being powerful. He was gleefully awaiting the firebender's reply.

"If you don't, I'll have to use force," Zuko hissed, not liking the boy's impudence.

This was exactly what Sokka was waiting for. "I'd like to see you try," he managed to get out before bursting into laughter. Only Sokka.

Katara couldn't believe her brother. Yes, this was the same guy that had been hunting them since they left the South Pole, not letting them have any rest. But he was still a person. Besides, she didn't think it would be too smart to have an angry firebender around, bound or not. So she did the one thing she knew would stop his taunting.

She threw a ball of water at the back of his head.

Sputtering, Sokka turned to stare at his sister in disbelief. Zuko's mask slipped, surprise that Katara had done something that could be seen as defending him clear on his face. Even Aang risked coming closer, curious. Katara blushed a little under all the attention focused on her.

"What?"

"Why did you do that! Now I'm all wet, thanks to your fancy 'magic.' Just because you're not as strong as I am, being a girl and a-"

"WHAT! Even after all this- UGH!"

"Uh, Sokka? You might want to run now." Aang advised, chuckling a little. When Sokka started to dodge Katara's water whip, those chuckles became full-on laughter.

Zuko watched all this with his eyebrow raised. At first he had been angry that they could ignore him so easily, but he found that he actually…enjoyed watching them, and even wishing that he could be so carefree. Although he'd never admit it, growing up at sea had left him craving interaction with others his own age.

The moment was ruined when Sokka, attempting to escape from the water following him, tripped over Zuko's outstretched legs.

"Oof!" Sokka grunted, the wind knocked out of him.

"Watch where you're going, peasant!" Zuko spat, quickly masking his face with anger.

Pulled back into reality, Katara noticed that it had grown darker, which was not a good sign. Staying in one place, especially one known by _him,_ made her feel more than a little uneasy. Turning to the boys, she was finally ready to reveal her thoughts from earlier.

Making them listen to her, however, was going to be more difficult than she thought. Being heard over the shouting match between her brother and the prince, coupled with Aang's laughter, was hard enough, but were her words getting through to them? Nope.

"IF YOU GUYS DON'T BE QUIET _RIGHT NOW,_ I'M SOAKING _ALL _OF YOU!"

_That _shut them up. When she saw their expressions, Katara almost burst into laughter herself. Aang was giving her the puppy dog look, his eyes widened even more than usual. Zuko looked affronted that she had threatened him, but a look of apathy settled on his features as he remembered the circumstances. Now, Sokka's face was priceless. His mouth hung open, twitching slightly, as his eyes bulged at the thought of getting even _more _wet.

Knowing that laughing wouldn't be a good idea at the moment, Katara settled for a small giggle disguised as a cough. Glancing at her companions' faces to see if any of them had noticed that, only Zuko seemed to be aware, if his narrowed eyes were any indication.

_Don't laugh at me, little girl,_ he thought, really wanting to be free to scare her properly.

_Because that turned out so well last time._

"Fun as it was to listen to your little argument," she started, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I think we should focus on two things: where we are right now, and _who_ knows where we are. Not to mention that it's getting a little late."

This snapped the two boys out of their quiet almost instantly, both seeing her point. Aang came out of the safety of the tree so the conversation wouldn't travel to unwanted ears. Reluctant as they were, the trio sat within the sight, and hearing, of the bound prince.

"Well, let's see what we know so far. We have Scarface over there," Sokka jerked his thumb back at Zuko, who snarled at the name, "captive, someone knows where we are, that same someone did something to Appa's tail, and now we're kind of trapped in the forest of a psycho. Anything else?" His upbeat tone contradicted with the dire situation.

"Aang, Sokka, have you guys thought about how we got here?" When they shook their heads, Katara continued, speaking haltingly. "Well, if we were here before, and all this time we've been heading…" at a sharp motion from her brother, she remembered who else was listening and quickly changed her words, "in the same direction, then-"

"How did we get here, _again_," Aang finished, realization dawning in his eyes.

Zuko had been paying close attention to the conversation, interest piqued by hearing that not only the Fire Nation was out for the Avatar. He was also hoping to find out their destination, but that was obviously in vain. Zuko wasn't stupid. He knew the girl was about to say it, but was stopped by the buffoon. Still, hearing the rest made him more alert of the surrounding forest. Whether he liked it or not, he was a part of their group, which meant that any attacks on them would include him as well. Now he knew why they were on edge.

"Exactly. I really don't think it's a good idea to stay here. You remember what _he's_ like." Katara shuddered, which, although she tried to hide it, didn't go unnoticed by the three pairs of eyes focused on her.

"You're right. But where would we go? He knows this forest too well. It seemed like the hideout spanned the majority of it as well. He could have lookouts for all we know!" Seeing his sister's shudder had put Sokka into panic mode.

"Sokka, calm down. I know you're worried, we all are, but we can't panic. There has to be someplace that's safe enough. Soo… anyone have any ideas? And I'm talking to _everyone_." Aang emphasized the 'everyone', with a meaningful glance at Zuko, whose reply was only a glare.

"I've got it! Aang, do you remember the river that flows into the reservoir?" When he nodded, Katara went on. "Well, there were some decent-sized streams going off into the forest. If we can find a clearing near one of those, then you and I will have the perfect source of water, just in case."

After some contemplation, both Aang and Sokka agreed that that was the best plan they were gong to get, at least in the amount of time they had. As they started to pack everything that Katara hadn't gotten to, Zuko was surprised at how fast and efficiently they managed to get everything done. It now made sense at how they were always able to get away just soon enough.

Once they were done, the three of them stood next to Appa, looking around the clearing to make sure they left almost no trace. Luckily, there had been no need for a fire yet, so that was one less hassle. As their eyes landed on Zuko, however, they realized the one major flaw in their plan.

How were they going to move Zuko with his legs bound?

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone! As always, I hope you liked it. There was a little bit of a mistake last chapter on my part, so I want to thank **SleepingDragon13** and **blufirestar** for pointing out the Suave Boogie thing. I had no idea whose story that scene was from. If you're confused, go look at the author's note for last chapter. Thanks to everyone that reviewed! It makes me so happy! Til next time! 


	5. Resolutions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any characters from Avatar.

* * *

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 5: Resolutions**

_How were they going to move Zuko with his legs bound?_

Zuko met their stares head-on. Growing up in the Fire Court had given him this useful skill. Unlike the others, the first thing in his mind as he heard their plan was what they would do with him. He was always looking out for himself, since no one else would.

Sokka, as usual, broke the tense silence in the way only he could.

"Nuh-uh! No way am I carrying _him_ again! He's too heavy!" he whined.

"Well, what are we supposed to do, leave him?" Katara was being sarcastic, but Sokka had the ability to block out sarcasm when it was convenient for him.

"Yes! That's a perfect idea, Katara!"

"Do I have any say in this?" Zuko hated listening to the siblings argue over what was going to be done with him as if he wasn't there. From what he could tell, the girl probably wouldn't allow her brother to do anything harmful, but he wasn't that confident.

"No!" Sokka shouted at the same time that Katara said, "Maybe."

_Not exactly what I was hoping for, but better than two 'no's._

Aang had not taken part in the conversation between his friends because he was having thoughts of his own on the matter, mostly about what he knew about firebenders. He agreed with Katara, of course, but wanted to come up with his own plan before saying anything.

"Sokka, think about it. Leaving him here, tied up-"

"Is the best idea we have! Someone will eventually find him and-"

"As I was _saying_, leaving him here, tied up, would be as ruthless on our part as any firebender. You remember what _he's_ like when it comes to the Fire Nation. What do you think he would do if he found the _prince_ of the Fire Nation, in his forest, pretty much defenseless?"

Although he was at a loss for words, seeing the smug look on his sister's face made Sokka want to say something, _anything_, to wipe it off.

"So what do you want to do?" He blurted out, then immediately regretted it. That was exactly what she wanted.

"How about we… put him on Appa! That way he'll still be bound, and we can move."

"Like that'll work," Sokka muttered, not loud enough for anyone to hear. Then, speaking louder, asked, "How will we get him up there? It's not like we can roll him up Appa's tail."

"Well," Katara looked defeated for a moment, and then brightened as she got an idea. "You could lift him up!"

"NO!" Both Sokka and Zuko shouted at the same time, making Katara jump. They glared at each other before Sokka turned back to his sister.

"No way am I picking _that_ up. I already carried him all the way over here. Even if I wanted to, I'd only drop him. As I've said before, he's too heavy."

Just as Katara was about to open her mouth, Aang surprised everyone by dropping directly in front of Zuko and peering at him intently.

"Aang? What are you doing?" Katara asked, coming up behind him cautiously. "Are you okay?"

Giving her a reassuring grin, he answered, "I have an idea," before turning back around.

After a few tense moments, Aang spoke again, this time to Zuko.

"If I untie your legs, do you promise not to try to capture me, at least for now?"

Zuko's mind went into overdrive. This could be his chance. As long as his legs were free, he could leave during the night and get back to his ship. Yes, he would have to make a promise, but there were ways to get around them.

Almost like he had read his mind, Aang quickly added, "And you can't sneak off during the night, or until we say so."

"Which would be NEVER!" Sokka shouted, followed by, "OW! Would you STOP hitting me!" after Katara hit the middle of his back with another water whip.

Zuko silently cursed. There went that plan. But the more he thought about it, the better the situation seemed. This way, he would be able to learn all he wanted about the trio. He could know their weaknesses, their skill levels, from watching them practice. By listening to their conversations, he would know exactly how to appeal to them.

"Fine," Zuko said gruffly, hoping they didn't figure out about this plan.

Surprised at his quick reply, Aang was slightly unsure of whether to accept his word. Then he remembered a long-forgotten conversation with his friend Kuzon that gave a solution to his problem.

* * *

"_Hey, Kuzon? Why is everyone in the Fire Nation always talking about honor?"_

"_What do you mean, Aang? Doesn't everyone think like this?"_

"_Well, they have honor, but no other nation cares about it so much."_

"_Hmmm. I guess you could say that honor is considered sacred here. It's more important than family, love, even life. If you die, if it was with honor, your soul is said to be blessed by Agni. And most people would rather die than be stripped of their honor. That's why, if a firebender swears something on their honor, you can be sure they'll keep their word."_

* * *

"Do you swear on your honor that you won't try to capture me, and won't try to leave until we let you?" 

When Zuko heard this, his face paled further. The boy was smarter than he thought. He obviously knew more than he let on, especially when it came to his nation's customs. Swearing on his honor complicated things, but he would have plenty of time to find a way out of it later. Right now, he _really_ wanted out of those chains.

Head hanging down, he quietly said, "I swear on my honor that I won't try to capture you, or leave."

Brightening almost immediately, Aang reached for the knot at his ankles, knowing how to untie it from watching Sokka. He pulled on it, confident that he was doing it correctly.

Nothing happened.

Only slightly perplexed, Aang tried again, to no avail. He just kept pulling at it in every direction, to Zuko's aggravation. To him, every time the younger boy moved the one end, the hold of the chains tightened painfully. The boy was so oblivious that if he hadn't growled at the Avatar, his circulation would have eventually been cut off.

Turning to his friends sheepishly, Aang called out, "Uh, Sokka? Could you untie the chains? I think I've been making them tighter."

"Not gonna happen!" Sokka shouted mulishly over his shoulder. He didn't like the idea of letting a firebender free, even if it was only his legs, and didn't want to be any help.

Rolling her eyes at her brother's childish antics, Katara knelt beside Zuko, her slim fingers quickly finding the end of the chain in the mess Aang had made. With one expert tug, the bonds around Zuko's legs were gone.

_Finally! Who would have thought that the girl would be able to do that?_

Using what little help he could get from his hands, Zuko managed to stand and stay up, though his legs felt like they would collapse any second.

Looking around the clearing, he saw that Katara had taken the chain from the ground and already had it coiled and packed.

"Okay, now that _that's _settled, we should leave. I say we go… that way," and with that, Sokka started to march into the forest.

When he didn't hear any other footsteps, he stopped and turned to see three incredulous expressions.

"What?"

"Why do we have to go where you say?" Aang had a feeling that he knew the answer, but wanted to ask anyways.

"Because I'm the leader and my instincts are telling me to go this way."

His answer was met by two snorts of laughter. Both Katara and Zuko found Sokka's reasoning flawed, and both were showing it. Zuko had leaned against a tree for support, but made it seem like he was doing it to show how cool he was. He, obviously, wasn't going to elaborate. Katara, arms crossed over her chest, let her brother know exactly what was wrong.

"Sokka, there are a few problems with your answer. One is that the last time we followed your instincts, we walked straight into a Fire Nation camp," Zuko barked out a laugh here, "so that's out. Another is that you can't be leader. You'd probably 'lead' us right under him."

"Well, then how do we find one of those streams?"

"Give me a minute."

Katara stood perfectly still, eyes closed. As her breathing evened, she focused all of her being on the feel of water. She slowly moved in a circle until she felt the power she wanted. The power of a stream.

She opened her eyes, ignoring the looks of interest and shock on the three boys' faces, and pointed in the right direction.

"We should go that way."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Hope you liked this chapter. It's not the greatest, but I think it's okay. Sorry if anyone seemed OOC. Thanks to everyone that reviewed! 

**In answer to Tallis Nightly's question:**

For that, I could picture Aang and Sokka being really into getting the right amount, and tying Sokka with it, while Katara was trying to seem like she didn't know them. Sorry that it was confusing.

Please review!


	6. Forced Companions

**Dislaimer: **I don't own anything from Avatar.

* * *

**Intertwined**

**Chapter 6: Forced Companions**

As the four walked in the direction Katara told them to, Sokka pulled her back so they could talk about what happened. Neither realized that Zuko had also fallen back to eavesdrop.

"What _was_ that, Katara? How'd you know you could do that?"

"I don't know, exactly, but all I did was completely focus on the feel of water. It's like the power of the stream was flowing through me."

"Okay, I don't really understand that, but whatever. Still, how'd you know?"

"Sokka, you know how I tend to calm down when I'm near water?" At her glare, Sokka chose to not respond to that. "I think it's the same type of thing. I guess it has to do with being a Waterbender or a bender in general."

Zuko walked silently, thinking the girl's words over. Could he also do that, and find fire? He scoffed at the absurdity of the thought. She was probably leading them in the wrong direction.

_Still…_

The way she had looked, eyes closed, even breaths, was a lot like the way he was supposed to look during meditation. That was when he felt the closest to the flames burning before him.

He was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of the giant bison groaning in what seemed to be pain. Their procession stopped so the young monk could see what the problem was.

As Aang stepped around Appa's body, he paled at the sight before him. The normally white fur of Appa's tail had been stained red from the blood flowing freely from the open wound.

He stopped Katara before she could see it. Guiding her back to the others, against her wishes, was difficult, but when Sokka saw his face, he grabbed her by the shoulders and kept a firm grip on them. Angry that she was being passed between them like a doll, she stopped struggling and glared at them instead.

"What? Why won't you let me go back there? Aang?" she demanded, temper rising with their silence.

Aang started to slowly rub the bison's side before he spoke, and even then his words were halting.

"How big a wound do you think you can heal at once?"

Katara sobered immediately at his serious tone. "Well, I guess it depends on the size of it. Why do you want to know?"

Zuko had watched this exchange with a curious eye. They were once again ignoring his presence, but that suited his needs perfectly. Slipping out of their view, he walked behind the giant bison to see exactly what the Avatar was stopping the girl from seeing. As his eyes fell on the tail, he knew why they wanted to keep the girl away. The scent of flesh wafted to his nose, making him feel sick. Quickly moving to the front of the bison, he was thankful that there was no wind to blow the smell to the travelers.

When he took his place again, he could tell by Katara's widened eyes that she had been told at least a little of the gruesome sight. Glad that no one had noticed his disappearance, he became the stoic prince once again.

"We should get moving. With Appa in the shape he's in, if we don't get there soon, he'll be too weak to move," Aang mentioned, concern evident.

"Let me go ahead. It can't be much farther." Katara said, already starting to inch forward.

"No way is my baby sister going out there by herself."

"But Sokka-"

"No buts, Katara. You know how dangerous it is out there, especially for you." Sokka wasn't about to budge from his position on the issue.

"How about someone goes with her?" Aang suggested, hoping to get going soon, for Appa's sake.

Katara brightened. "That's perfect! One of you can come with me, as a bodyguard."

Sokka just shook his head, immediately dismissing the idea. "We can't leave you alone with him," he inclined his head toward Zuko, "for too long. And, no offense Aang, but I don't think you'd be too good at protecting her. So _no one_ leaves."

They started walking again in a tense silence, a scowl etched on Katara's features. Only Zuko, who had remained passive through the entire discussion, and quite amused, noticed that Katara took special care to remain out of her brother's reach. He smirked when he realized what she planned to do.

_Looks like someone doesn't like being told what to do. _That was a trait he would admire in anyone, especially in a girl. _Reminds me of someone…_

Moving closer to Aang, Katara quickly whispered, "Just keep following this path. You should be able to find it easily enough. I'll either be waiting there, or I'll meet you on the path."

Aang's head whipped around as a startled "Huh?" escaped his lips.

"I'm sorry, Sokka, but Appa needs this too much."

And with that, Katara started running down the path before Sokka could register her words.

"Katara? Katara! Get back here!" Sokka yelled, running after her.

Hearing his shout, instead of making her stop or slow down, increased her pace. Knowing how fast his sister could be when she wanted, he gave up and returned to the other boys. Aang had his glider open, ready to fly after her. Sokka stopped him with a shake of the head.

"Let her go. Even if we managed to bring her back she'd just run off again. You know how determined she can be. Remember Haru?"

"Oh, yeah. But you said yourself that it's too dangerous for her."

"Well, she can take care of herself." Sokka's face, however, betrayed his true thoughts.

_I hope…_

"Let's go, Scarface."

Zuko snarled at the name, but went along willingly, knowing staying behind would just put him in more danger. Besides, he wanted to learn more about the group. Especially the girl.

* * *

Katara sprinted through the trees, never looking back to see if anyone was following her. She knew Sokka would try, but only up to a certain point. Then he would just let her be. It was Aang she was worried about. He had shown before that he could be just as protective of her as Sokka, perhaps even more. If Sokka couldn't stop him, he could easily catch her with the use of his glider or bending. 

_They should have more faith in me,_ she thought angrily. _They know I can take care of myself, if they would only let me._

As her breathing became more labored, she slowed her pace, not wanting to drain her energy. She knew she had to be on guard at all times, and that being exhausted would only hinder her, in any situation.

Walking alone, without the chatter of Momo and slight conversation of her companions, Katara realized just how eerily silent the forest truly was. The fading light only added to the creepiness. To her, it seemed almost like the trees were reaching out, threatening to grab her at any moment.

When she reached the clearing beside the stream sooner than she had expected, she breathed a sigh of relief. Giving herself only a moment's rest, and paying no attention to any of the details around her, she stepped into the cool, clear water. Taking a calming breath, she slowly lifted as much water as she could 'carry' at once. Moving with slow, deliberate steps, she made her way out of the clearing, and once again started towards her companions, all focus on keeping the water under control.

* * *

What the three boys saw made them stop in their tracks, eyes wide with surprise, even Zuko. Coming towards them was a giant…ball of water? They relaxed as they saw Katara slowly coming up the small rise, arms tense from the effort of holding that much water up. Zuko marveled at her stamina. There was much he had to learn about these teens. She hadn't seen them yet, so Sokka chose to call out to her. 

Bad idea.

Before anyone could stop him, he had already shouted, "Hey Katara!"

As Aang and Zuko had predicted, Katara was startled by the sudden noise, which destroyed her concentration. The water she had just barely kept under control fell down, drenching her. Shooting a deadly glare at her brother, she started stomping towards them.

Once again, Aang and Zuko were more perceptive of Katara's mood than Sokka, and they quickly moved away from him, Aang because he knew Katara and Zuko because he had some insight into girls, thanks to his own sister. Sokka, of course, remained blissfully unaware of their movements.

"Sokka, you idiot!" Katara shrieked. "That was for Appa! Do you know how HARD it was, carrying all of that over here! And you just _had_ to ruin it, didn't you!"

During her rant, to escape the finger that kept poking his chest, and her wrath, Sokka had backed himself against a tree, inadvertently trapping himself. He looked to Aang for help, but found him trembling with silent laughter. He was so desperate that he actually _wanted_ Zuko to make a rude remark to distract Katara. Zuko, in true Zuko fashion, chose this time to keep his mouth shut.

Aang finally stopped Katara, partly out of pity for the older boy and partly out of worry for the bison, by asking, "Katara is the clearing much farther from here?"

"Actually, now that you mention it, I don't think it's too far. I guess keeping the water under control," She glared at Sokka, who shrunk against the tree, "just made it seem a lot farther."

Sokka had to resist the urge to comment on his sister's quick change in attitude, settling on rolling his eyes when her back was turned.

_Girls…_

* * *

As the group came into the clearing, even Zuko had to admit that it was the perfect spot for them to spend the night in. There was just enough room for Appa to fit in, with a spacious amount left for the four travelers to sprawl out in sleep. Though the clearing was almost directly on the water, there was just enough foliage to protect them from prying eyes. 

As soon as Appa was resting, Katara rushed to the water's edge, gathering what she thought would be enough. Cautiously stepping behind Appa, she fought the urge to gag as the putrid stench of the long-exposed blood assaulted her nose. Because the gash had been open, without any sort of treatment, for so long, the early signs of infection could already be seen.

Grimacing at the task ahead, Katara slowly started streaming the water to cover the wound. She never noticed the sharp golden eyes that watched her every move, veiled curiosity overpowering his usual indifference. He tried to tell himself that it was just to find out the extent of her skills, but he knew he was watching out of genuine curiosity at what Waterbenders in general could do. To get a better view, he moved closer. Not enough for anyone to notice, but it helped.

After only a few attempts Katara was ready to scream in frustration. Each time she tried to cover the entire wound, she only managed to get a part of it before the water trickled into the bison's fur. She finally settled on just coating her hand in water, and running her hand across the injury. Leaning back on her heels, hoping beyond anything that this would work, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As she felt the familiar tingle that meant her healing was being tapped into, Katara quickly reached forward and placed her hands on the tail. As the water fell from her fingers, she hesitantly opened her eyes. Disappointment filled them as the only difference she saw was that there didn't seem to be any infection.

With a deep sigh, Katara walked back to her companions, who had left her alone. The first thing in her view was Aang's hopeful face. Turning away from him, she found that she didn't have the heart to tell him that there wasn't much she could do.

"Is he better, Katara? Did you help him?" Aang asked anxiously.

"Uh, well, the infection's gone," Katara replied, noticing how the monk's face fell. Needing to cheer him, she added, "And the bleeding's stopped."

"That's… good."

Katara looked to her brother for help and saw that his eyes were focused on her hands, his face tinged slightly green. When she glanced down, she felt sick herself. Covering the palms of her hands was Appa's warm, sticky blood. She quickly moved to wash them in the river.

* * *

Zuko settled down against a tree, as far from the others as he could get. So far, his plan to gather information on the Avatar and his companions wasn't going exactly as he hoped. The only thing he had learned was that the girl could do some sort of healing. Though that could be useful, he was more interested in learning about the Avatar. 

As Sokka started trying to light a fire, Aang walked to Appa's side, making sure to keep his back to the soon-to-be flames, a constant reminder of what he'd done. Only Katara and Zuko saw this, the latter not understanding the boy's aversion. Katara, however, knew the reason behind the action and felt that, if she couldn't heal Appa, she should cheer him up.

Settling beside her brother, she stopped him halfway through his fifth attempt. Zuko watched as she whispered something that escaped even his hearing. He watched with mild interest as the 'warrior' jerked away from her, obviously surprised at what she had said. This time, his words traveled to Zuko easily.

"No way, Katara. You remember what happened the last time he tried that. I don't want you to get hurt again."

"That's exactly _why_ we have to let him. He needs to get past that, and if he can do it without hurting anyone, I think he'll be back to normal."

"But Katara-"

"If it makes you feel better, I'll put up something to protect us. Okay?"

"Fine."

Zuko's eyes had widened just the tiniest bit when he heard the girl say something about protection. Though he cared nothing for the others, _he _was still bound around his upper body, and thus unable to do much.

Katara walked over to where Aang had been and sat beside him. Putting her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, she tried to cheer him up before asking him.

"Hey Aang. Don't worry. I'm sure Appa will get better soon. Tomorrow we can look for some herbs that will help," she said softly.

"Yeah, I guess. But that's not what I'm really worried about."

"Well, would you like to get the fire going?"

Aang looked alarmed at even the idea of trying to firebend. "Katara, I can't. You remem-"

"Don't worry. I'll be ready this time. I have enough water to throw up a shield in case you lose control, but I know you won't. So how about it?"

Instead of answering, Aang got up and knelt beside the fire pit. Making sure that Sokka and Katara were ready, he took a deep breath and concentrated on the feel of the sun during the day, just like Jeong Jeong had told him. He stayed in that position until he heard a small crackle and felt the warmth of a fire. As he opened his eyes, his face broke into a big grin. He turned to see Katara's face filled with joy, and Sokka's filled with amazement.

"You were right, Katara! I did it!"

Zuko watched their mini-celebration with a growing feeling of dread. He couldn't believe it, but he'd seen it with his own eyes. The reality of the situation hit him with full force.

The Avatar knew how to firebend.

He silently cursed. It seemed as though fate was truly against him. He'd had enough trouble capturing the Avatar when he could only bend the air. Now he knew air, water, _and_ fire, if only the slightest bit. Now his own attacks could be thrown back at him, or at least deflected.

After managing to control the flames, Aang's mood had improved dramatically, just like Katara had thought. He was back to being the carefree, fun-loving monk. As they took out their sleeping bags to get ready to sleep, he used his airbending to move Sokka's around the clearing, eliciting laughter from Katara and him. Aang could have sworn he even saw Zuko crack a smile at one point. That small peace was short-lived because of Sokka's comment as the trio sat around, waiting for sleep to come.

"You hungry, Scar-face?"

"No," Zuko spat out, unable to take the constant blow to his pride without unleashing _some_ of his frustration.

"Good, 'cause you're not getting anything even if you were."

They could all feel the heat of the campfire rise, particularly around Sokka. In an effort to calm the angry firebender down at least a little, Katara 'accidentally' dropped some of her water on her brother's head. The heat given off by the fire lowered right away. As Aang laughed at his friend's dilemma, Katara's gaze was caught by Zuko's golden one.

She found herself searching them over the flames for his emotions. There was anger, _typical_, that she had interfered on his behalf, and just a little gratitude for the same action.

Katara was jerked out of her thoughts at the feel of a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she found herself face-to-face with a concerned Sokka. Giving him a tired smile, she shrugged his hand off, crawling into the warmth of her sleeping bag. As Momo curled on her stomach, she felt herself drifting into slumber.

Following her lead, Sokka was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Aang took a little longer. Zuko observed the way the boy looked at the girl longer than necessary. Something about his gaze made something twinge deep within Zuko. With a start he realized that the younger boy had feelings for her. A slight smirk on his face, he made himself more comfortable for the night ahead.

_Looks like I have learned something about the Avatar. Even better, what could be his one weakness._

* * *

"Have any of you seen Prince Zuko?" 

Iroh had been asking every member of his nephew's crew if they had seen him recently. He hadn't been very worried at first, but as night had arrived, he knew that Zuko should have returned already. The crew hadn't been too much help, most of them saying that the prince hadn't been seen since he dismissed the men of their duties for the day.

"General Iroh, should we send out a search party?" Lieutenant Jee had been watching the old man restlessly move from room to room, and knew that something had to be done.

"No, no, my nephew can take care of himself. I am merely wondering why he hadn't mentioned it before he went off."

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone that reviewed! Meh. I am not happy with how this turned out. It's like my inspiration died in the middle. Don't worry, the next chapter should be better. Sorry for any OOC-ness. As usual, please review! 


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